Biography

Australian tennis player, winner of his first major championship at the 1994 Manchester Open before going on to win the U.S. Open in 1997 and 1998. Over the course of his career, the talented right-hander earned more than $5 million from tournaments and even more through endorsement deals.

He was born and raised in the Australian Outback in an area as dry as the Moon, the third youngest of nine kids with five brothers and three sisters. His father, Jim, was an accountant and his mother, Jocelyn, a homemaker. Rafter was a polite and well-mannered child who opened car doors for his mother. On his first day at preschool, he bravely said he wanted to walk in by himself, without his mother at his side, and so he did. He began playing tennis with his father and three older brothers when he was only five years old. He was a late bloomer who admits he was afraid of girls while he was in school, all his attention went to tennis. After graduation, he and his brother Geoff took off for Europe where they competed in tournaments and slept anywhere they could, including inside automatic teller enclosures. His natural talent for the game continued to assert itself, so his brother quit playing and became his coach. He turned pro at age 19.

Rafter’s good looks and exuberance added some much-needed flair to men’s tennis, but despite his razzle-dazzle performances on the court, his samurai-style ponytail bouncing, those who know him best say he’s just a regular guy with good sense. He once returned his five-figure appearance fee after what he considered a poor performance on the court, and he gets around town on a moped. His family, the largest on the ATP tour, is heavily involved with his career; his brother Stephen is his agent, sister Louise handles publicity and brother Peter does scheduling. A good-looking man, Rafter was voted People Magazine’s Sexiest Athlete of the Year in 1997.

He follows a rigorous practice schedule, spending three hours a day on the court and another hour in the gym. He’s an avid rugby and cricket fan and spends his free time golfing and fishing. His generosity is well known, and he donated large sums of money to children’s charities after both his U.S. Open victories. Nicknamed ‘Skunky’ by his family, he is a confessed chocoholic who enjoys meeting people, going to parties and has a great sense of humor. He spends a great deal of time with his girlfriend, Lara Feltham, an Australian swimwear model; she describes Rafter, saying, "He is extremely loyal, considerate, caring, funny, cheeky. He knows who he is; he doesn’t try to be someone he is not."

In 1995, he suffered from a wrist inflammation. He plans to retire from professional tennis at the end of 2001 due to physical injuries and surgery, and his absence will be a huge loss for the tennis world.

He and Lara, a long-time girlfriend, welcomed baby boy Joshua Patrick on 8/01/2002 in Nambour, Australia.